Views on smoking from the people of Derby City and Derbyshire

Between October and December 2025, Healthwatch Derbyshire collected the views and opinions of people who live in Derby City and Derbyshire about smoking, quitting, and their awareness and experiences of local stop smoking support services. They gathered 167 survey responses, spoke to people at four community engagement events, and completed three semi-structured interviews.

They wanted to understand people’s experiences of smoking, what motivates them to quit, and the barriers they face when trying to access stop smoking support. 

The survey showed that most people who smoke would like to quit and would go to see their GP or visit the NHS website for stop smoking support information. Awareness of Smokefree Derby and Derbyshire was very limited. People were also unaware of what the stop smoking services offered. A common assumption was that quitting support and nicotine replacement products would cost money, or that support was not available to them if they had already been through the service.

 Around half of respondents reported living with a long-term condition or disability, indicating a higher need for flexible and accessible support. Talking with people at community events and during interviews showed similar findings to the survey. 

More people were likely to use the stop smoking support once they understood it was free and available to them whenever they needed it. This shows how clear communication, effective signposting and continued community engagement can support more Derby City and Derbyshire residents to stop smoking.